Thursday, December 3
The state has identified 333,626 cases of COVID-19 as of today, with 290,019 of these patients no longer required to be isolated. 3,784 deaths have been reported. For more information on the current situation, visit the Minnesota Department of Health website.
At the bottom of this email, you will find Met Council workforce statistics related to COVID-19 leave that have been reported to the Employee Resource Center.
Do you have thoughts or concerns on the content or frequency of these COVID-19 update emails? We would love to hear your feedback through the online COVID-19 form, so we can make sure these emails are providing the most useful and timely information to staff.
Reminder: download the mobile app for COVID-19 exposure notification
Last week, the State of Minnesota released a COVID-19 exposure notification mobile application, COVIDaware MN, which will provide a voluntary, anonymous application that alerts a user if another user with whom they've had close contact tests positive for COVID-19.
Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday that 230,000 people have downloaded the app.
The technology collects no data about users and protects individual privacy. If a person opts in and follows the health recommendations when notified of an exposure, state officials say the application will help slow the spread of COVID-19. Learn more about the app on the COVIDaware MN website, and download it today from Google Play or the App Store.
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Aspects of COVID-19 leave will continue into 2021
Employees will continue to have access to Emergency Sick Leave and COVID-related childcare leave into 2021, while we await either reauthorization of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act or new guidance from the federal government. The act provides additional FMLA provisions for circumstances employees may be dealing with related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What this means for employees
- Employees will continue to have access to the 80 hours of Emergency Sick Leave that remains in their banks. This is a continuation of the 80 hours each employee received in 2020, not additional leave if you exhausted your bank in 2020.
- Employees will be able to continue using FMLA for childcare leave (paid at 2/3 rate of pay after the first two weeks) for a maximum of 480 hours within a 12-month period. This extends the time to use that leave into 2021; it doesn't provide more hours.
- These benefits were scheduled to expire with the federal law on Dec. 31. They will now be extended while Minnesota is under a peacetime emergency or until a new federal law/guideline replaces this one.
If you have any questions, please contact the Employee Resource Center in Human Resources at EmployeeResourceCenter@metc.state.mn.us.
For additional information about the Met Council COVID-19 Leave Policy, visit the FAQs on MetNet.
Fitness rooms closed? Check out these online fitness classes!
While our fitness rooms across the Met Council are temporarily closed, Fit For Life is happy to bring new online, live fitness classes to our employees.
All classes will use the same Zoom meeting link at the times listed below:
- Cardio Kickboxing: A fun cardio class with a punch and a kick Tuesday, Dec. 8, 3:00 to 3:30 p.m.
- 10-10-10: 10 minutes cardio, 10 minutes strength, 10 minutes stretch Thursday, Dec. 10, 8:00 to 8:30 a.m.
- Monday Madness: A tough cardio workout to jump start your week Monday, Dec. 14, 8:00 to 8:30 a.m.
- Tabata Strength: Wednesday, Dec. 16, noon to 12:30 p.m.
- Yoga-Pilates Fusion: This class fuses both practices and involves attaining specific postures, emphasizes correct breathing, and meditative mindfulness Tuesday, Dec. 22, 3:00 to 3:30 p.m.
- Cardio Kickboxing: A fun cardio class with a punch and a kick Wednesday, Dec. 30, noon to 12:30 p.m.
More classes are coming next year! Fit For Life also has a library of recorded classes for your convenience.
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Stay home, stay safe
Restrictions on in-person social gatherings, events, adult and youth sports, and gyms and fitness centers remain in effect through at least Dec. 18. Bars and restaurants are limited to take-out and delivery service only.
Learn more about Dial back, Minnesota guidance.
Retail businesses, salons, and places of worship may continue to operate with proper precautions in place. Childcare remains open. Schools will continue to operate under the Safe Learning Plan, which shifts between in-person, distance, and hybrid learning depending on the local conditions of the virus. All other current restrictions also remain in effect.
Learn more about guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health to plan for holidays and travel.
Resources to help you cope
Make sure you check out the online, webinar resources for resilience and self-care for the months ahead. Learn more about the Fit For Life sessions, Sand Creek online support, and the new LOD learning opportunities for teleworkers and their managers.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Employee Resource Center at EmployeeResourceCenter@metc.state.mn.us with any questions you might have about our COVID leave policy and staff support.
Upcoming sessions
Email Ashley Starr, Crystal Felten or Joy Ahern for the registration links.
- Monday, 12/7, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. - The Only Constant is Change: releasing the grasp of normalcy as we move forward
- Wednesday, 12/9, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. - Staying Sane in Relationships with Susan Shehata
- Monday, 12/14, 11 a.m. to 12 noon - Honoring Cycles: reflect, release and refresh for the new year
- Thursday, 12/17, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. - Embracing Movement on our Terms with Ragen Chastain
Get tested - it's free and easy to do!
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) works in partnership with communities to provide safe and free on-site COVID-19 testing in areas with outbreaks, increasing cases, or other barriers to access existing test sites.
Community testing
In the metro area, saliva testing is available in Anoka, Blaine, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Burnsville, Inver Grove Heights, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Stillwater, and at the MSP Airport. This video and handout explain what to expect from the saliva testing process.
Check the COVID-19 Community Testing page on the MDH website to make an appointment and to stay up to date on locations and dates for new community testing sites.
Who can get tested:
- Testing is free, and you do not need insurance or identification.
- You can get tested even if you don't have symptoms of COVID-19. For example, if you think you have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 or if you got a call from the health department telling you that you may have been exposed.
- Community testing is designed to serve the local community. If you live farther away, we encourage you to get tested at your local clinic. For help finding a nearby location, use the interactive map to find testing locations.
MDH strongly encourages you to sign up for an appointment using the registration link listed with each location. Signing up ahead of time helps avoid long lines. People who walk in without an appointment might have to come back later or another day. If you are not able to sign up online, or need an interpreter, call 1-855-612-0677 for assistance.
In-home test kits available
The state is also offering in-home test kits for all Minnesotans, free of charge. Learn more about the process.
HealthPartners testing for Met Council employees
For employees who have a HealthPartners medical plan, HealthPartners has the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19 care and testing on their website at HealthPartners.com/coronavirus. In some cases, you may need to complete a video visit prior to obtaining a COVID-19 test.
If you’re a HealthPartners member, HealthPartners is providing coverage with no member cost share for administration of the COVID-19 laboratory test (regardless of where the test is performed). They're also providing coverage with no member cost share related to an in-network office visit or urgent care visit associated with the test. Members can find benefit details by signing into HealthPartners.com or calling Member Services at the number on the back of their member ID card.
The Met Council is covering 100% of the cost for COVID-19 virus testing and treatment for our HealthPartners members – including both employees and covered dependents.
There are also resources available to you to help you assess whether you may have COVID-19:
- If you think you may have COVID-19, you may use the HealthPartners virtuwell symptom checker, and Minnesota residents can schedule drive-up testing.
- HealthPartners members can also use the CareLine at no cost. It is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Call 612.339.3663 or 800.551.0859.
Employees should not go to the Well@Work on-site clinic if they suspect they have COVID-19.
Find more details here on drive-up testing locations*, preparing for your test, and interpreting the results.
Testing is also available at retail locations and pharmacies throughout the metro area.
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Check the MetNet pages, FAQs
For the most current information related to the COVID-19 outbreak, visit the MetNet page and be sure to review the FAQs for staff and managers. They are updated as we have new information to communicate.
For the most current Metro Transit work instructions and daily updates on new COVID-19 cases reported at each worksite, visit the Metro Transit page.
If you have questions, talk to your manager or supervisor or submit a question or concern in the online COVID-19 form.
Check out the latest issue of HR Connect, which was published today.
For those who cannot easily access MetNet and/or would like a printable PDF of the FAQs, here are the most recent versions of these pages:
Met Council workforce statistics
The following statistics related to COVID-19 have been reported to the Employee Resource Center. The "active positive COVID-19" number is the number of employees who currently have a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. The "cumulative" number marks the total number of employees who received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis since the pandemic began. The second table breaks down the positive cases by division for Environmental Services (ES), Metro Transit (MT), Metropolitan Transportation Services (MTS), and Regional Administration (RA).
Employees with positive COVID-19 diagnosis (December 3):
Employees with positive COVID-19 diagnosis by division (December 3*):
*These division numbers are reported weekly.
 
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